It Won't Be Like This For Long
by MrsHalsteadxx
Summary: Short one shot about Nathan and Lydia, written to Darius Rucker's song "It Won't Be Like This For Long" daddy Nathan :)


I was listening to this song on the way to work this morning, and I just couldn't resist. Daddy Nathan and Lydia give me feels, so I had to do it. I'm not proud of it, but here it is.

Inspired by Darius Rucker's "It Won't Be Like This For Long"

He didn't have to wake up  
>He'd been up all nite<br>Lay'n there in bed listen'n  
>To his new born baby cry<br>He makes a pot of coffee  
>He splashes water on his face<br>His wife gives him a kiss and says  
>It gonna be OK<p>

It won't be like this for long  
>One day soon we'll look back laugh'n<br>At the week we brought her home  
>This phase is gonna fly by<br>So baby just hold on  
>It won't be like this for long<p>

_"Are we seriously just going to let her cry?" An exasperated Nathan asks, turning to face his wife in the darkness of their bedroom._

_ Haley groans and throws her arm over her face. "She has to learn to self sooth babe."_

_ Sighing, Nathan turns back to face the darkness and stays silent. He listens to their two week old daughter Lydia cry for only a few seconds before he's pushing the covers back and crawling out of the bed._

_ "Where are you going?" Haley asks shuffling around in the bed, and suddenly, the room lights up. He glances behind him to find her sitting up in bed watching him._

_ "I can't listen to her cry like this Hales, it breaks my heart." _

_ "Nathan, she –"_

_ But before she can finish her though, he walks out of the room, and down the hall, past the bedroom where Jamie was fast asleep, to his daughter's nursery. He flips the light on and hurries across the room, scooping his princess up in his arms. The second her tiny eyes fall on him, the tears disappear and a smile graces her perfect features. He melts at the sight and holds her close. "That's right Lyd, daddy's got you. Let's get you bottle huh?" _

_ He makes his way out of the nursery and down the hall to the staircase, ignoring the dirty look he receives from his wife who was now standing in their doorway, hands on her hips. _

_Soon enough, it is four hours later and Nathan is still sitting in the kitchen, nursing his sixth cup of coffee as Lydia slept peacefully in his arms._

_After eating her bottle, Lydia knocked right out and Nathan had never been more proud of himself. The months of worrying that he couldn't do it all again with so many years between Jamie and Lydia, flew out of his mind and he was calm. He quickly makes his way upstairs, changing Lydia without a problem and laying her back in her crib, only to be met with a loud ear piercing scream. It took him a good five minutes to get her calm and as soon as she was back asleep, he once again tries to her lay her down with the same result. Sighing, he scoops her up in his arms and makes his way downstairs where he can make a pot of coffee and keep her so that she doesn't wake Haley or Jamie. He wasn't going back to sleep any time soon. _

_He glances up at the clock to see it is only a little after seven when Haley finally enters the kitchen, dressed and ready for her day. _

_"Nathan have you been down here all night?" She asks, raising an eyebrow at him as she moves to fix herself a cup of coffee. _

_He groans and nods his head. "She wouldn't let me lay her down without screaming." _

_Haley bites her lip, trying not to laugh at her husband. "Honey, -"_

_"I know," He quickly interrupts her, glancing up at her. "She has to learn to self sooth – I can't stand to listen to her cry Hales. She's my little girl, it breaks my heart." _

_ "I know babe, it breaks mine too." She moves around the island and reaches for Lydia. "Here, let me take her and you go take a nap." _

_ He doesn't argue with her, but instead hands her over. He stands up from the chair, walks over to the sink and turns it on before splashing his face. He reaches for a towel and dries his face before turning to look at Haley, who was now sitting in his chair watching him, snickering. "Why did we think it was a good idea to start over? Cause that's what we're doing here Hales." _

_"Nathan, calm down. It'll take a bit to get back in the swing of things, but we're going to be fine. Things won't be like this for long." _

Four years later bout four thirty  
>She's crawling in their bed<br>And when he drops her off at preschool  
>She's clinging to his leg<br>The teacher peels her off of him  
>He says what can I do<br>She says now don't you worry  
>This will only last a week or two<p>

It won't be like this for long  
>One day soon we'll drop her off<br>And she won't even know your gone  
>This phase is gonna fly by<br>If you can just hold on  
>It won't be like this for long<p>

_A very groggy Nathan slowly opens one eye when a light shines in his face. Slowly, he reaches up and rubs his eyes, opening both to see that the bedroom door was pushed open, just enough for a little of the hallway light to shine in. As his eyes adjust, he sees his now four year old daughter standing in the doorway, clutching her neon pink blanky. _

_ "Daddy?" _

_ At the sound of her tiny voice, Nathan pushes himself up in the bed. "What's wrong baby girl?" _

_ "Can I sleep with you and mommy?"_

_ Nathan quickly glances to his nightstand to see that it was only 4:30 am and sighs, motioning for her. "Come on," Before he can get it completely out, she was at his side and crawling up in the bed. They both lay down, with Lydia lying in between Nathan and Haley. She turns and faces her father, snuggling into his chest. _

_ Nathan melts, running his hand through her unruly blonde hair. "Lyd, what's wrong?" She stays silent and Nathan reaches down, placing a finger under her chin and making her look up at him. Even in the dark, he could see the tears in her eyes and his heart breaks. "Are you nervous for tomorrow?"_

_Without saying a word, she nods and tears spill over, running down her cheeks. _

_"Oh baby girl, its okay, come here." He pulls her into his chest and runs his hand up and down her back soothingly, trying to calm her down. "Hey, you have nothing to be worried about. You are going to have so much fun playing tomorrow that you won't even miss mommy or me! We will be back to pick you up before you know it!" He leans down and continues to whisper comforting words in her ear, and within minutes not only had she quit crying, but she had fallen fast asleep. _

_He smiles, leaning down and planting a soft kiss on her forehead, letting his lips linger as he whispers. "Goodnight baby girl, daddy loves you." _

One day soon she'll be a teenager  
>And at times you'll think she hates him<br>Then he'll walk her down the aisle  
>And he'll raise her vale<br>But right now she up and cry'n  
>And the truth is that he don't mind<br>As he kisses her good night  
>And she says her prayers<br>He lays down there beside her  
>Till her eyes are finally closed<br>And just watch'n her it breaks his heart  
>Cause he already knows<br>It won't be like this for long  
>One day soon that little girl is gonna be<br>All grown up and gone  
>Yeah this phase is gonna fly by<br>He's try'n to hold on  
>It won't be like this for long<p>

_"EASY ON THE DOOR!" Nathan yells, from where he sat at the kitchen island drinking a cup of coffee. Haley was busy floating around the kitchen making dinner. He turns and looks toward the kitchen door just in time to see the blur that was his now fourteen year old daughter Lydia, rushing up the stairs. _

_"Lydia!" He shouts, but she ignores him and continues up the stairs, slamming her bedroom door minutes later. He looks to Haley and they exchange a look, as he lets out a sigh. _

_They hear the front door open and close once again, quietly this time, and within seconds nine year old Sadie walks into the kitchen. _

_"What's wrong with your sister kiddo?" Nathan asks, watching his youngest daughter as she drops her backpack in the floor and crawls up in the empty seat next to him. _

_"Who knows," She replies, avoiding the dirty look she was receiving from her mother over the backpack. "She took off running the second we reached the bus stop and wouldn't wait for me." _

_Nathan shakes his head as he pushes his seat back, standing up. "I'll go talk to her," He assures his wife moving to walk out of the room, only stopping to place a kiss on Sadie's hairline. _

_Once upstairs he makes his way to the end of the hallway, past his and Haley's room, past Jamie's room that he had long moved out of when he left home to attend college, to Lydia's bedroom._

_He cringes when he hears the music blaring but continues on in the room, without bothering to knock. Lydia instantly screams out in protest and he reaches over, turning her stereo off. _

_"DAD!"_

_"Lydia, you know you're supposed to walk your sister home from the bus stop –"He starts, but she rolls her eyes and cuts him off. _

_"She's nine years old; she can walk herself two blocks from the bus stop to our house." _

_"Do you not know this family's history of kidnappings?" He asks, propping himself up on the door frame. She once again rolls her eyes. "Ok you know what, I was going to be nice about all this but if you're going to have an attitude, then I can play that game too. You have a responsibility Lydia; it is your job to make sure your sister gets to and from the bus stop safely and not alone. It is your ONE job and you completely ignored it and left your sister alone. Who knows what could have happened to her! I am very disappointed in you Lydia, and I'm going to have to punish you – "_

_"Dad! – " _

_"NO Lydia, you are grounded for two weeks, no phone, no computer, and you're going to step up around here and do some chores. We've been too easy on you so now it's time you learn some responsibility. You will come straight home from school, do your homework, help your mom cook dinner and do the dishes. You will take the trash out every other day, and you will keep this room clean," He says glancing around the room clothes, books and CD's were thrown everywhere. _

_"Dad, you can't –" _

_"Oh I can," He says pushing himself off the door facing and walking over to her desk. "And I will – I'm serious Lydia, you are going to learn some responsibilities starting now." He grabs her computer, her iPod and makes his way over to her, where she sat on her bed. He holds out his hand and she hesitates but eventually hands her phone over to him. _

_"Two weeks." He says walking toward the door, ignoring her sobs. She without a doubt knew how to work him, and she was doing a damn good job at it. Her sobs were killing him, but he was determined to stay strict this time. She needed to learn. _

_He walks out of her room, shutting the door behind him. _

_"I HATE YOU!" She screams, sobbing, through the door and he freezes in his place. He feels as if someone had just stabbed him in the heart. He longed for his baby girl, when she loved him unconditionally, looked up to him, and needed him in every aspect of her life… But those days we're over for now. He knew they would come back around, but he just didn't know if he was strong enough to survive until then. _

It won't be like this for long


End file.
